Mevasseret Zion

Harley Stark

29/03/2006

Final Report

During April–May 2003 a salvage excavation was conducted on a tomb located on Nahal Soreq Street in Mevasseret Zion (Permit No. A-3881*; map ref. NIG 2154/6342; OIG 1654/1342), following road-widening works. The excavation, on behalf of the Antiquities Authority and financed by the Public Works Department, was directed by H. Stark, with the assistance of A. Hajian (surveying and drafting) and T. Sagiv (photography).

The cave, on the northern side of Nahal Soreq street, which runs adjacent to the northern side of the ‘En Mevasseret site, was bedrock-hewn above an artificial terrace (Fig. 1). The cave was already robbed in antiquity and its southern side, as well as the original entrance was completely quarried away. Three kokhim were in the burial cave (2.0 × 2.5 m), one along each of the western, northern and eastern walls. Foundations of a later stone wall were uncovered along the southern side. A repository pit for bones was located in the northwestern corner of the cave, while scant osteological remains were found scattered both in the tomb and outside. The cave was partially cleaned, photographed and recorded. Only non-diagnostic ceramics were recovered, but the type of this tomb is well known in the Jerusalem area, dating to the mid-Second Temple period.